CFU director proposed sanctions on individuals rather than on Zimbabwe

The idea to have sanctions targeted at individuals including President Robert Mugabe rather than on Zimbabwe as a country might have come from Commercial Farmers Union director David Hasluck.

According to a diplomatic cable dispatched by United States embassy in Harare on 11 March 2001,when Hasluck was told by US officials that Washington was thinking of imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe because of increasing repression and human rights abuses, he said he was opposed to sanctions on Zimbabwe because they would destroy the economy which was “just limping along” and the poor would bear the brunt.

“Rather than sanctions, Hasluck recommended two separate courses of action. One course of action would be to isolate President Mugabe and top officials of the government by revoking their visas to travel to the US, coupled with freezing personal assets held overseas, “the cable says.

“These actions would directly indicate to Mugabe and the government leadership that the actions they were taking in Zimbabwe were making them international pariahs.

“The second course would be for the USG (United States government) and European nations to use their leverage with the governments of Nigeria, South Africa and the other SADC countries, to increase their ‘quiet’ diplomacy and pressure on Mugabe to get him to change course.”

The cable says Hasluck emphasized that it was important that such diplomacy and pressure be conducted discretely because Mugabe reacted very defensively to public pressure.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 01HARARE970, ZIMBABWE’S CFU DIRECTOR RECOMMENDS PERSONAL

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

110547Z Mar 01

CONFIDENTIAL     PTO5657

PAGE 01       HARARE 00970 01 OF 03 110550Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   AGRE-00 AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 USNW-00

DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00   EB-00   FAAE-00 FBIE-00

VC-00   TEDE-00 INR-00   VCE-00   NSAE-00 SS-00   USIE-00

BBG-00   DSCC-00 DRL-02   NFAT-00 SAS-00     /002W

——————D0211C 110550Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8389

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 000970

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR CGURNEY

PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD – DWELLER, AFR/SA – CPALMA,

NNEWMAN, AA/AFR – VDICKSON-HORTON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/11

TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAGR EAID PINR ZI

SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE’S CFU DIRECTOR RECOMMENDS PERSONAL

SANCTIONS AND REGIONAL DIPLOMACY TO GET MUGABE TO CHANGE

COURSE

CLASSIFIED BY ECONOMIC OFFICER SCOTT REMINGTON FOR

REASONS 1.5 (B/D).

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 00970 01 OF 03 110550Z

REFS: A. HARARE 898, B. HARARE 743

——-

SUMMARY

——-

¶1. (C) ON FEBRUARY 8, ACTING PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT

SECRETARY (PDAS) MARK BELLAMY, CHARGE’ EARL IRVING, AND

SIPDIS

ECONOFF (NOTETAKER) MET WITH COMMERCIAL FARMERS UNION

(CFU) DIRECTOR DAVID HASLUCK TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT

PLIGHT OF COMMERCIAL FARMERS IN ZIMBABWE. HASLUCK

STATED THAT WHILE THE COMMERCIAL FARMING COMMUNITY IS

UNDER TREMENDOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS FROM THE FARM

INVASIONS AND VIOLENCE BY WAR VETS, THE MAJORITY OF

COMMERCIAL FARMERS ARE BEING ALLOWED TO FARM, AND SHOULD

HAVE GOOD CROP YIELDS AT THE END OF THE CURRENT GROWING

SEASON. A CONCERN MENTIONED BY HASLUCK WAS THAT IF

COMMERCIAL FARMERS DO NOT GET GUARANTEES FROM THE

GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO

HARVEST WINTER WHEAT (DUE FOR PLANTING IN THE APRIL/MAY

PERIOD), MANY FARMERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PLANT FOR THE

SEASON. THIS WILL LEAD TO THE GOZ HAVING TO IMPORT

LARGE QUANTITIES OF WHEAT BY THE END OF 2001. ACCORDING

TO HASLUCK, THE CFU WILL BE GOING INTO ITS SPECIAL

CONGRESS ON MARCH 21 AS A UNIFIED ORGANIZATION. HE

EXPECTS THAT AT THE END OF THE CONGRESS THE CFU WILL

ISSUE A STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES REGARDING ITS POSITIONS

ON COMMERCIAL FARMING, LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT.

HASLUCK STATED THAT THE CFU HAS CONSISTENTLY ATTEMPTED

TO ENGAGE THE GOZ ON A SERIOUS BASIS ON THE ISSUE OF

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 00970 01 OF 03 110550Z

LAND REFORM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE FARM INVASIONS IN

FEBRUARY 2000, BUT THAT THEY HAVE FOUND NO ONE IN THE

GOZ WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT

WHICH WILL BE HONORED BY THE GOZ. HASLUCK WAS EMPHATIC

THAT HE DOES NOT FAVOR SANCTIONS ON ZIMBABWE AS A WAY OF

ENCOURAGING PRESIDENT MUGABE AND THE GOZ TO CHANGE

COURSE, BECAUSE THESE WILL DEAL A DEATHBLOW TO THE

ZIMBABWE ECONOMY AND EXTRACT A HEAVY TOLL FROM THE

ZIMBABWE PEOPLE. RATHER, HE BELIEVES THAT A COMBINATION

OF PERSONAL SANCTIONS PLACED ON PRESIDENT MUGABE AND

OTHER KEYS MEMBERS OF THE GOZ (CANCELING OF US VISAS,

FREEZING OF BANK ACCOUNTS, ETC.), COMBINED WITH

INCREASED “QUIET” REGIONAL DIPLOMACY BY THE HEADS OF

GOVERNMENTS OF NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND OTHER MEMBER

STATES OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

(SADC) COULD LEAD TO POSITIVE CHANGES IN THE COURSES OF

ACTION BEING FOLLOWED BY THE GOZ. END SUMMARY.

——————————-

COMMERCIAL FARMING STRUGGLES ON

——————————-

¶2. (C) PDAS BELLAMY ASKED HASLUCK HOW COMMERCIAL FARMERS

WERE HOLDING UP IN THE CURRENT CRISIS SITUATION.

HASLUCK REPLIED THAT WHILE THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS AND

THEIR FAMILIES ARE UNDER TREMENDOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS

AS A RESULT OF THE FARM INVASIONS AND VIOLENCE BY “WAR

VETS”, THE VAST MAJORITY OF FARMERS ARE BEING ALLOWED TO

PROCEED WITH FARMING. HE ADDED THAT IF THE HEAVY RAINS

ZIMBABWE HAS BEEN RECEIVING SINCE LAST FEBRUARY LET UP

IN TIME, THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS WILL HAVE GOOD TOBACCO,

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04       HARARE 00970 01 OF 03 110550Z

SOYBEAN, AND COTTON HARVESTS. THE COMMERCIAL MAIZE

HARVEST WILL BE MUCH SMALLER HE ADDED, BUT THIS IS

BECAUSE FARMERS HAD PLANTED MUCH LESS HECTARAGE IN MAIZE

AS A RESULT OF THE FARM INVASIONS AND LOW MARKET PRICE

FOR MAIZE. IN GENERAL, THE CATTLE HERDS OF COMMERCIAL

FARMERS ARE QUITE HEALTHY, AND THE RECENT EUROPEAN UNION

(EU) DECISION TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW BEEF EXPORTS FROM

ZIMBABWE WILL BE A BOON FOR THE FARMERS. HASLUCK

REVEALED THAT THE COMMERCIAL FARMING COMMUNITY, WHICH

HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN CLOSE-KNIT, HAS BEEN BROUGHT

CLOSER TOGETHER BY THE FARM INVASIONS. THOSE FARMERS

WHOSE FARMS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AS A RESULT

OF INVASIONS AND “WAR VET” VIOLENCE ARE BEING HELPED BY

OTHER FARMERS ALLOCATING A PORTION OF THEIR CROPS TO

THESE FARMERS.

¶3. (C) PDAS BELLAMY ASKED HASLUCK HOW THE FARM INVASIONS

WERE AFFECTING THE COMMERCIAL FARMERS FARM LABOR.

HASLUCK INDICATED THAT MOST FARMERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO

KEEP THEIR FARM WORKERS ON PAYROLL, EVEN IF THEIR

FARMING HAS BEEN INTERFERED WITH. HE ADDED, THOUGH,

THAT THERE WAS A LIMIT TO HOW LONG FARMERS COULD

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL     PTO5658

PAGE 01       HARARE 00970 02 OF 03 110550Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   AGRE-00 AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 USNW-00

DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00   EB-00   FAAE-00 FBIE-00

VC-00   TEDE-00 INR-00   VCE-00   NSAE-00 SS-00   USIE-00

BBG-00   DSCC-00 DRL-02   NFAT-00 SAS-00     /002W

——————D02121 110550Z /38

R 110547Z MAR 01

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8390

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 000970

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR CGURNEY

PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD – DWELLER, AFR/SA – CPALMA,

NNEWMAN, AA/AFR – VDICKSON-HORTON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/11

TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAGR EAID PINR ZI

SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE’S CFU DIRECTOR RECOMMENDS PERSONAL

SANCTIONS AND REGIONAL DIPLOMACY TO GET MUGABE TO CHANGE

COURSE

CONTINUE TO PAY THEIR FARM WORKERS IF THEIR OPERATIONS

CONTINUE TO BE INTERFERED WITH BY INVADERS AND “WAR

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 00970 02 OF 03 110550Z

VETS”. IF THE COMMERCIAL FARMS ARE SHUT DOWN, HUNDREDS

OF THOUSANDS OF FARM WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL BE

AFFECTED.

——————————

A CONCERN OVER WINTER PLANTING

——————————

¶4. (C) HASLUCK WENT ON TO SAY THAT WHILE COMMERCIAL

FARMERS ARE LOOKING TO GENERALLY GOOD HARVESTS AT THE

END OF THIS SEASON, THE PICTURE FOR WINTER PLANTING IS

QUITE DIFFERENT. HE STATED THAT UNLESS FARMERS ARE ABLE

TO GET GUARANTEES FROM THE GOZ THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO

HARVEST THE WINTER CROPS THEY PLANT, THEY WILL NOT BE

ABLE TO GET THE FINANCING THEY NEED FROM BANKS TO PLANT,

AND THEY WILL NOT RISK WHAT PERSONAL CAPITAL THEY HAVE.

HE ADDED THAT IF MANY FARMERS DO NOT PLANT FOR THE

WINTER, THIS WILL SERIOUSLY AFFECT BOTH ZIMBABWE’S FOOD

SECURITY AND HARD CURRENCY SITUATION. THE WINTER WHEAT

CROP, WHICH IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY PLANTED BY COMMERCIAL

FARMERS, IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE NATION. IF FARMERS DO NOT

PLANT WINTER WHEAT, THE GOZ COULD BE FORCED TO IMPORT UP

TO 400,000 METRIC TONS OF WHEAT AT A TIME OF SCARCE HARD

CURRENCY. BARLEY AND HOPS ARE TWO OTHER WINTER CROPS

THAT COMMERCIAL FARMERS PLANT, AND THE MAJORITY OF THESE

CROPS ARE NORMALLY EXPORTED, EARNING HARD CURRENCY FOR

THE NATION. THESE CROPS ARE ALSO AT RISK IF THE FARMERS

DO NOT RECEIVE GUARANTEES FROM THE GOZ.

——————-

THE UNION IS UNITED

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 00970 02 OF 03 110550Z

——————-

¶5. (C) HASLUCK TOLD PDAS BELLAMY THAT THE CFU IS HEADING

INTO ITS SPECIAL CONGRESS A UNITED ORGANIZATION. HE

STATED THAT NICK SWANEPOEL, A FORMER CFU PRESIDENT, HAD

EXCEEDED HIS AUTHORITY WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO NEGOTIATE A

SECRET DEAL WITH THE GOZ ON THE LAND ISSUE (REF A).

SIPDIS

HASLUCK REVEALED THAT SWANEPOEL HAD BEEN AUTHORIZED TO

NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF THE CFU IN TRYING TO GAIN GOZ

SUPPORT FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE ON LAND REFORM

(REF B), BUT NOT TO CUT ANY OTHER SECRET DEALS. THE

TEMPORARY DISUNITY IN THE CFU WAS CAUSE WHEN SWANEPOEL

REVEALED TO THE CFU COUNCIL THAT HE HAD PROPOSED A

SECRET DEAL TO THE GOZ THAT INVOLVED, AMONG OTHER

SIPDIS

POINTS, REPLACING THE CURRENT CFU EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP,

AND REPLACING DIRECTOR HASLUCK WITH A BLACK ZIMBABWEAN.

AFTER DEBATING WHAT SWANEPOEL PROPOSED, THE CFU COUNCIL

VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO REJECT THIS DEAL AND TO FULLY

SUPPORT THE CURRENT CFU LEADERSHIP. HASLUCK REVEALED

THAT HE EXPECTED THE UPCOMING SPECIAL CONGRESS TO DEBATE

AND THEN ISSUE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF PRINCIPLES

REGARDING THE CFU POSITION ON COMMERCIAL FARMING, LAND

REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT.

—————-

ENGAGING THE GOZ

—————-

¶6. (C) HASLUCK STATED EMPHATICALLY TO PDAS BELLAMY THAT

THE CFU HAS CONSISTENTLY TRIED TO ENGAGE THE GOZ ON THE

ISSUE OF LAND REFORM AND RESETTLEMENT SINCE THE

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04       HARARE 00970 02 OF 03 110550Z

BEGINNING OF THE FARM INVASIONS IN FEBRUARY 2000. THE

PROBLEM THAT THE CFU HAS RUN INTO IN THIS EFFORT IS THAT

THEY HAVE FOUND NO ONE THAT CAN TALK AUTHORITATIVELY FOR

THE GOZ ON THIS ISSUE OR CUT A DEAL WITH THE CFU THAT

WILL LATER BE HONORED BY THE GOZ. HASLUCK SAID THAT

FINANCE MINISTER SIMBA MAKONI, INDUSTRY AND

INTERNATIONAL TRADE MINISTER NKOSANA MOYO AND MINISTER

OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IGNATIUS CHOMBO WERE ALL GOZ

OFFICIALS THAT THE CFU BELIEVE THEY COULD WORK WITH, BUT

NONE OF THEM CAN BE CONSIDERED TO AUTHORITATIVELY SPEAK

FOR MUGABE OR THE GOZ. HASLUCK ADDED THAT ONE POINT THE

CFU HAS RAISED WITH THESE OFFICIALS, AND HAS RESONATED,

IS THAT IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT GRIPS

ZIMBABWE, COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE IS THE ONE SECTOR OF

THE ECONOMY THAT THE GOZ CAN COUNT ON TO PERFORM

STRONGLY AND BRING IN THE HARD CURRENCY THAT THE GOZ

DESPERATELY NEEDS. HOWEVER, THIS IS ONLY TRUE IF THE

GOZ LETS FARMERS FARM.

—————

NO TO SANCTIONS

—————

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL     PTO5659

PAGE 01       HARARE 00970 03 OF 03 110550Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   AGRE-00 AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00 USNW-00

DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00   EB-00   FAAE-00 FBIE-00

VC-00   TEDE-00 INR-00   VCE-00   NSAE-00 SS-00   USIE-00

BBG-00   DSCC-00 DRL-02   NFAT-00 SAS-00     /002W

——————D02125 110550Z /38

R 110547Z MAR 01

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8391

INFO SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 000970

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR CGURNEY

PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD – DWELLER, AFR/SA – CPALMA,

NNEWMAN, AA/AFR – VDICKSON-HORTON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/11

TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAGR EAID PINR ZI

SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE’S CFU DIRECTOR RECOMMENDS PERSONAL

SANCTIONS AND REGIONAL DIPLOMACY TO GET MUGABE TO CHANGE

COURSE

¶7. (C) WHEN PDAS BELLAMY TOLD HASLUCK THAT THE BUSH

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02       HARARE 00970 03 OF 03 110550Z

ADMINISTRATION WAS EVALUATING US POLICY TOWARDS ZIMBABWE

IN LIGHT OF INCREASING GOZ REPRESSION AND HUMAN RIGHTS

ABUSES (AMONG THESE THE BOMBING OF “THE DAILY NEWS”

PRINTING PRESS, THE FORCED RESIGNATION OF SUPREME COURT

JUSTICE GUBBAY, THE EXPULSION OF TWO FOREIGN

JOURNALISTS), HASLUCK STATED CLEARLY THAT HE OPPOSED

SANCTIONS BEING PLACED ON ZIMBABWE TO FORCE THE GOZ TO

CHANGE ITS BEHAVIOR. HE SAID THAT SANCTIONS WOULD

DESTROY THE ZIMBABWE ECONOMY, WHICH IS JUST LIMPING

ALONG AS IS, AND THAT THE ZIMBABWE PEOPLE WOULD BEAR THE

BRUNT OF SANCTIONS. RATHER THAN SANCTIONS, HASLUCK

RECOMMENDED TWO SEPARATE COURSES OF ACTION. ONE COURSE

OF ACTION WOULD BE TO ISOLATE PRESIDENT MUGABE AND TOP

OFFICIALS OF THE GOZ BY REVOKING THEIR VISAS TO TRAVEL

TO THE US, COUPLED WITH FREEZING PERSONAL ASSETS HELD

OVERSEAS. THESE ACTIONS WOULD DIRECTLY INDICATE TO

MUGABE AND THE GOZ LEADERSHIP THAT THE ACTIONS THEY WERE

TAKING IN ZIMBABWE WERE MAKING THEM INTERNATIONAL

PARIAHS. THE SECOND COURSE WOULD BE FOR THE USG AND

EUROPEAN NATIONS TO USE THEIR LEVERAGE WITH THE

GOVERNMENTS OF NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE OTHER SADC

COUNTRIES, TO INCREASE THEIR “QUIET” DIPLOMACY AND

PRESSURE ON MUGABE TO GET HIM TO CHANGE COURSE. HASLUCK

EMPHASIZED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT SUCH DIPLOMACY AND

PRESSURE BE CONDUCTED DISCRETELY, SINCE MUGABE REACTS

VERY DEFENSIVELY TO PUBLIC PRESSURE.

——-

COMMENT

——-

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03       HARARE 00970 03 OF 03 110550Z

¶8. (C) HASLUCK PUT A BRAVE FACE ON THE COMMERCIAL

FARMERS’ PLIGHT DURING HIS MEETING WITH PDAS BELLAMY.

HIS ASSERTION THAT MOST FARMERS ARE BEING ABLE TO FARM

THIS SEASON, THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE GOOD HARVESTS OF

CROPS SUCH AS TOBACCO, SOYBEANS AND COTTON, AND THAT

MOST FARMERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CARRY THEIR FARM WORKERS,

WAS POSITIVE NEWS IN A SITUATION THAT HAS HAD MOSTLY BAD

NEWS SINCE THE FARM INVASIONS BEGAN IN FEBRUARY 2000.

HOWEVER, OTHER MEMBER OF THE CFU EXECUTIVE, AND HASLUCK

HIMSELF, HAVE SAID ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS THAT THE

VAST MAJORITY OF COMMERCIAL FARMERS DO NOT HAVE THE

RESOURCES OR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STAMINA TO CONTINUE

FARMING UNDER THESE ADVERSE CONDITIONS. THE PRESSURE

WILL BE ON THE GOZ SOON TO OFFER GUARANTEES TO THESE

FARMERS THAT THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO PLANT AND HARVEST

WINTER CROPS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE GOZ WILL OFFER SUCH

GUARANTEES, AND HONOR THEM. WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT

HASLUCK’S SUGGESTIONS FOR SPECIFIC SANCTIONS DIRECTED

AGAINST MUGABE AND OTHER HIGH-LEVEL GOZ OFFICIALS,

COMBINED WITH MORE VIGOROUS QUIET DIPLOMACY AND PRESSURE

FROM ZIMBABWE’S AFRICAN NEIGHBORS, ARE WORTHY OF

CONSIDERATION. END COMMENT.

¶9. (U) PDAS BELLAMY APPROVED TRANSMISSION OF THIS

MESSAGE.

IRVING

CONFIDENTIAL

>

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